Chaplain's ministry includes fallen and those who honor them

By Ed Drohan
Dover Air Force Base

(12/14/09) -- For an Alaska Air National Guard chaplain, a deployment to the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center here hits close to home. Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Lance Jennings' son served with the Air National Guard in Kirkuk, Iraq in 2002. When your ministry revolves around serving those who have given their lives for their country, their families, and the men and women who provide the full measure of dignity, honor and respect for the fallen, you can't help but think about family members who have been in harm's way.

The chaplains have been providing spiritual and moral support here since September, and Jennings will return to his unit - the 168th Air Refueling - in January. He has never been here before, but said he volunteered for the deployment.

The chaplain said he's done a tour of duty at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, ministering to wounded warriors, and his work at the AFMAO has given him a chance to see and appreciate not only the fallen heroes, but the professionalism of those who provide dignity, honor and respect for the them, as well as care, service and support for their families.

As part of his duties, the chaplain and the rest of his "padre cadre" has worked with families of the fallen who come to Dover to observe the dignified transfer of their loved ones. In his civilian ministry, he's provided comfort to families of accident victims, and while similar, the work here is different.

"We see death, but here, because of the violence of war, it is more intense," said Chaplain (Maj.) Richard Bach, a Maine Air National Guard chaplain, who has worked with Jennings since September.

The support and comfort the chaplains provide isn't limited to the fallen and their families, though. They also provide a "ministry of presence" for the men and women called upon to prepare those fallen for the trip to their final destination.

Many of the young men and women who deploy here from around the country are exposed to stresses most people will never see, the chaplains said.



Whether it's assisting with autopsies, cleaning personal effects so they can be returned to families, or dressing the fallen in the proper uniform for a funeral, exposure to the horrors of war can take its toll on individuals.

"These people are doing things for our heroes that they can't necessarily talk to their families about," Jennings said. "They see and do things that people can't understand unless they've been here."

Chaplains work closely with mental health specialists to help ease those stresses. They try to be very visible and establish relationships with workers throughout the center, they said.

"You have to develop trust before they'll talk," Jennings agreed.

One thing that has impressed Jennings is the level of professionalism and devotion he sees in people, who work at the center.

"There's a camaraderie, especially in the back (where the fallen are prepared for transport)," Jennings said. They move around together and there's a lot of humor in the morning, but when the preparation starts, things get quiet and they focus on the task at hand."

The chaplains also help with the center's Resiliency Program, which is designed to help people deal with the stresses they encounter in the workplace. They have set up trips to off-base sites, including a trip to Arlington National Cemetery and a kayaking trip - trips that not only tie together the work they do here but also provide relief from stress.

When he returns to his home, the chaplain said he'll take a part of the center with him - he'll leave Dover with memories, both painful and positive.

"We all have scars on our body, like when I fell on a bike and got gravel under my skin. Every once in a while you'll touch that scar and remember that life experience," Jennings said. "The analogy with those scars is that I'll remember the pain, the sadness, the grieving parents and spouses. But I'll also remember the pleasantries as well ... the personalities who have touched me in positive ways. They've helped heal those scars."